JIMMY SMOTHERS: Lindsay to be part of Ryder Cup tradition

Published: Monday, September 24, 2012 at 9:57 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 3:20 p.m.

This is Ryder Cup Week, and the avid golf fans from throughout the world will be focused on the Medinah Country Club in Illinois.

This is the premiere team event and, to a lot of people, the top golf attraction overall.

I think that's a little overrated. Golf is an individual sport with four major events — Masters, British Open, U.S. Open and PGA — in that order. All four have been played, and golf has been put away until spring, when all eyes will again be turned toward Augusta and the Masters.

Football steps front and center in the fall, especially in Alabama and throughout the Southeast. It doesn't really matter if the Ryder Cup is played in America or some other country. The focus of attention in our city, county and state will be on Tuscaloosa, not Medinah. On the Crimson Tide, not on what is considered the most competitive teams of world class golfers that has been comprised in years.

Some years, Auburn may replace Tuscaloosa as the state's football capital. But regardless of which school has the best team on a given year, football is king in the fall.

It is easy to understand why the Ryder Cup is important to the elite of golf, because it pits America's best against the rest of the world. And that is pretty much the way American citizens feel about everything — us against them.

The actual Cup Matches will be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Wednesday, there will be the “Friendship Matches,” pitting 10 or 12 past officers and officials who will play the course competing for bragging rights only.

There is a local interest, because the one-day fun event was started by Glencoe native Ken Lindsay in 1997 when he was the PGA President. The event has been held during each Ryder Cup event since that time.

Lindsay says the “premise behind the Friendship Match is to promote camaraderie and friendship between the officers of the PGA of America and the European PGA. It also gives the officers an opportunity to play and become familiar with the courses of the host nation.”

Play will be the same as the Ryder Cup match play format.

Although Lindsay now is a past president of the organization, he has been invited to participate in “his” event that is now a tradition. Since he is no longer the man in charge, he will be able to just relax and have fun, just as he used to do when he spent a lot of time playing golf under the watchful eye of the late George Black at Briarmeade Golf Course in his hometown

Jimmy Smothers is the Sports Editor Emeritus of The Gadsden Times. He can be reached at jmmys1@aol.com. His book, “The Game,” may be purchased at The Gadsden Times' customer service desk.

<p class="bold allcaps">COMMENTARY</p>
<p>This is Ryder Cup Week, and the avid golf fans from throughout the world will be focused on the Medinah Country Club in Illinois.</p><p>This is the premiere team event and, to a lot of people, the top golf attraction overall. </p><p>I think that's a little overrated. Golf is an individual sport with four major events — Masters, British Open, U.S. Open and PGA — in that order. All four have been played, and golf has been put away until spring, when all eyes will again be turned toward Augusta and the Masters.</p><p>Football steps front and center in the fall, especially in Alabama and throughout the Southeast. It doesn't really matter if the Ryder Cup is played in America or some other country. The focus of attention in our city, county and state will be on Tuscaloosa, not Medinah. On the Crimson Tide, not on what is considered the most competitive teams of world class golfers that has been comprised in years. </p><p>Some years, Auburn may replace Tuscaloosa as the state's football capital. But regardless of which school has the best team on a given year, football is king in the fall.</p><p>It is easy to understand why the Ryder Cup is important to the elite of golf, because it pits America's best against the rest of the world. And that is pretty much the way American citizens feel about everything — us against them.</p><p>The actual Cup Matches will be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Wednesday, there will be the “Friendship Matches,” pitting 10 or 12 past officers and officials who will play the course competing for bragging rights only.</p><p>There is a local interest, because the one-day fun event was started by Glencoe native Ken Lindsay in 1997 when he was the PGA President. The event has been held during each Ryder Cup event since that time.</p><p>Lindsay says the “premise behind the Friendship Match is to promote camaraderie and friendship between the officers of the PGA of America and the European PGA. It also gives the officers an opportunity to play and become familiar with the courses of the host nation.”</p><p>Play will be the same as the Ryder Cup match play format.</p><p>Although Lindsay now is a past president of the organization, he has been invited to participate in “his” event that is now a tradition. Since he is no longer the man in charge, he will be able to just relax and have fun, just as he used to do when he spent a lot of time playing golf under the watchful eye of the late George Black at Briarmeade Golf Course in his hometown</p>
<p class="italic font120">Jimmy Smothers is the Sports Editor Emeritus of The Gadsden Times. He can be reached at jmmys1@aol.com. His book, “The Game,” may be purchased at The Gadsden Times' customer service desk.</p>